Stolen and Recovered Lease Car within around 6 hours

[merlin5]

Someone I know last night had their 4-month old prestige car stolen whilst the owner was dropping shopping at an in-law's doorstep. It was aggravated theft because a car pulled up alongside and 2 chaps with balaclava's and a long metallic object jumped out and were acting aggressively to the owner. The engine was off but the key was in the cup-holder (keyless). The owner informed the police but few hours later but the owner used an app to track the exact location and recovered the car themselves from a location 7 miles from the theft. They informed the police who chaperoned whilst it was reclaimed. It was parked outside a nice house in West London.

There is no external damage but the interior has been pulled apart and the roof console / switches all pulled out - guessing to look for a tracker. The car was covered on inside and outside with soapy water. I am guessing even though it has been recovered, they still need to inform the insurance. Would the insurance pay for the damages even though the key was in the cup-holder as (i) the car was not un-attended and (ii) the 2 individuals appeared as though they were going to get the key from the owner by hook or crook. Events recorded on Ring doorbell and sent to police.

Questions are 1) Would there be any issues with insurance as key in the car and 2) Do they need to involve LeasePlan of the recent events and would this have any issues for the owner as it has been stolen and recovered?

[KungFuPanda]

You might be in difficulty if the key was in the car. There's usually a duty on the insured to take reasonable precaution with the keys. Leaving the keys in at the cupholder whilst the car is running isn't reasonably cautious is it?

Personally, I wouldn't report it and just pay to have the interior damage fixed.

[merlin5]

Car wasn't running. Would the insurance not be aware in the future of the theft via data from police.

[steveo3002]

depending how honest he feels , could consider rewording it that the key was taken from him , not like the thief is going to say otherwise ?

or yeah prob easier all round to have the car put right and pay for it

[Louis Balfour]

merlin5 said:

The car was covered on inside and outside with soapy water.

That's interesting. What does that do to help the thieves?

[steveo3002]

finger prints /dna maybe?

[vaud]

“ (i) the car was not un-attended “

Where was he? Standing outside the vehicle? Climbing in? Or some metres away?

[Psycho Warren]

Surely it was a robbery as force was threatened?

[merlin5]

vaud said:

“ (i) the car was not un-attended “

Where was he? Standing outside the vehicle? Climbing in? Or some metres away?

He was about 5 m from car, dropping shopping at his mother-in-law's doorstep.
So car was in sight all the time.

[So]

You could always try calling the lease company and insurance provider and ask them.

[RSTurboPaul]

Keyless can work from some distance away.

Perhaps he actually had the key in his pocket but the thieves were still able to start the car due to proximity and clear line-of-sight between the keys and the car...?


Although it would need testing to check if it could happen again - for his own safety, naturally.

[T6 vanman]

RSTurboPaul said:

Keyless can work from some distance away.

Perhaps he actually had the key in his pocket but the thieves were still able to start the car due to proximity and clear line-of-sight between the keys and the car...?


Although it would need testing to check if it could happen again - for his own safety, naturally.

Mine wont start from outside the vehicle, It has RF sensors inside and on doors and detects which side of the car the key is …. hence if you get out with the key in your pocket it pings annoyingly but leave the key and it doesn't.

[RSTurboPaul]

T6 vanman said:

RSTurboPaul said:

Keyless can work from some distance away.

Perhaps he actually had the key in his pocket but the thieves were still able to start the car due to proximity and clear line-of-sight between the keys and the car...?


Although it would need testing to check if it could happen again - for his own safety, naturally.

Mine wont start from outside the vehicle, It has RF sensors inside and on doors and detects which side of the car the key is …. hence if you get out with the key in your pocket it pings annoyingly but leave the key and it doesn't.

Clever!

[Gareth79]

Regarding unattended thefts, there is quote a lot of case law and ombudsman decisions which will guide the insurer.

It looks like to be "unattended" the driver needs to be close enough to be a deterrent, and have able to detect a theft ocurring. Given in the OP's case not only did they detect the attempt, but the driver was threatened by the thieves to prevent them stopping the theft I think they may be successful with a claim?

Here are a few relevant decisions where the insurer had to pay out:

Car stolen while opening gates:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/files/24352...

Workman left keys on seat of van, was putting tools down six metres away for 10-20 seconds when it was stolen:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/files/26548...

Car stolen while while driver was using postbox on verge:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/files/23829...

There are many where they didn't, but they are mostly where the driver went into a house or garage and was out of sight.

Edited by Gareth79 on Tuesday 21st July 00:55

[Mandalore]

I assume the thieves still have the other key?

Which adds to the cost somewhat, if a new key is required and the old one(s) deauthorised.

[nick s]

So a similar thing happened to a colleague of my mother in law.... Except she left her keys in the front door overnight. Someone spotted them and took the car.

This was 9 months ago and her insurance still haven't paid her. She tried to lie and say she doesn't know how they got the car, and hasn't once mentioned that the keys were left in the front door. She stopped short of telling a complete lie and saying they broke in, so then it didn't add up and the insurance company wanted to know exactly how they took the car They've pieced it together and have informed her that unless she can prove she didn't leave the keys somewhere, then they won't pay her.

[A205GTI]

Tactic is to park the car up for 24 hours to see if it is recovered, ie tracker active, if not moved on and stripped pretty quickly

[Cat]

steveo3002 said:

depending how honest he feels , could consider rewording it that the key was taken from him , not like the thief is going to say otherwise ?

or yeah prob easier all round to have the car put right and pay for it

Assuming that the OP didn't lie about the circumstances when he contacted the police that probably isn't the brightest thing to do.

The insurance company will ask for the crime number and may well confirm that the description of events given to them matches what the police were told. When they discover the "rewording" of what occurred they are unlikely to just pop a cheque in the post.

Cat

[martinbiz]

nick s said:

So a similar thing happened to a colleague of my mother in law.... Except she left her keys in the front door overnight. Someone spotted them and took the car.

This was 9 months ago and her insurance still haven't paid her. She tried to lie and say she doesn't know how they got the car.

That's a sensible thing to post on a public forum

[vikingaero]

Louis Balfour said:

merlin5 said:

The car was covered on inside and outside with soapy water.

That's interesting. What does that do to help the thieves?

Covid innit. They didn't want to get infected!